Finally there’s a way to easily create 3D printed dogs!
Minichua has launched a peculiar online service in which you can custom design a canine in 3D. The service includes ways to select dog breed, coat color and pattern and even pose. Once designed, you can then request a color 3D print of the dog, which you’ll receive shortly thereafter in the post.
The service presents you with an easy-to-use web interface in which you can manipulate a dog model until the design meets your requirements.
At this time Minichua is crowdfunding to raise funding to add features that will permit more complex and detailed types of dog customization. For now you can order any dog from a wide selection of options, starting at a base price of £25 (USD$38) for a Chihuahua model.
From what we can tell, Minichua has developed a series of pre-made 3D dog components and methods of meshing them together that they’ve implemented on their service. Behind the scenes they’re partnering with popular 3D print services to actually produce the 3D prints. It seems they’re likely doing business with Sculpteo for production.
Yes, this is a kind of corny service, but we think this is precisely the type of service that is required to help gain consumer access to 3D printing. Most consumers are – and never will – be able to competently perform 3D modeling. Services such as Minichua bridge that gap – at least in this case for the world of dog figurines.
We’re going to need a great many more object customization services to provide a sufficiently wide capability to the public, but for now you can mark “dogs” as “done”.
Via Kickstarter and Minichua
